What's the Best Placement for Alarms?

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms should be mounted in or near bedrooms and living areas, either on the ceiling or the wall. Ceiling mounting is typically preferred as it allows the smoke alarm to be placed more centrally in the room. If wall mounting is used, it's best to use an inside wall to avoid thermal air currents that can occur along hot or cold walls. Our units have been tested and will perform between 40 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Carbon Monoxide and Combination Alarms

Carbon monoxide (CO) and combination alarms should be mounted in or near bedrooms and living areas, on a wall placed six inches below the ceiling to six inches above the floor. If mounting on a ceiling, make sure it is at least six inches away from the wall. Because carbon monoxide is almost the same density as air, it will disperse evenly throughout the air in a room. Our units have been tested and will perform between 40 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your home has a hot water heat system or boiler, it's recommended to place a CO alarm in the boiler room and also in the room above or adjacent to the boiler room for the quickest response.

We recommend installing a carbon monoxide or combination alarm on each level of a multi-level home. You can use the number and location of smoke alarms installed in your home, according to current building code requirements, as a guide to the location of your carbon monoxide or combination alarms.

If the home has only one carbon monoxide or combination alarm, it should be installed in the main bedroom or in the hallway outside of the sleeping area. Here are some guidelines for placing a single carbon monoxide or combination alarm:

• Place the alarm at least 5 to 15 feet away from fuel-burning appliances.
• Make sure nothing is covering or obstructing the unit.
• Do not place the unit in dead air spaces or next to a window or door.

Caution: Carbon monoxide alarms will only indicate the presence of carbon monoxide at the sensor. Carbon monoxide may be present in other areas of your home.

Heat Alarms

Heat alarms should be mounted either on the ceiling or the wall. We recommend installing a heat alarm in areas where temperatures may be extreme, such as in an attic or garage.

Note: 135-degree heat alarms are typically not suitable for use in the attic, as most unfinished attics will exceed the operating temperature of the alarm. Heat alarm model number HD200F would be suitable for this use with a SM120X Relay Module for smoke and a CO120X Relay for carbon monoxide.

Placing All Alarms

We recommend referring to your current building code requirements as a guide to the location of your alarms.

Important: Improper location can affect the sensitive electronic components in an alarm.

For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user’s manual.

Need Further Assistance?

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our customer care team.

They are available to help you with any concerns or inquiries you may have. Reach out to us for support, and we'll be happy to assist you!